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Stories Behind Names of Places in Sri Lanka – HEMMATHAGAMA – By Dr. Nimal Sedera Source : Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – January 2023 Hemmathagama is a small town in the Sabaragamuwa province, closer to the famous town Kegalle. How the name Hemmathagama evolved is quite interesting and it is linked to a key chapter in the Mahawansa where the famous King Dutugemunu ruled the nation for several decades, after winning a major battle defeating the Indian invader Elara that ruled the nation from Anuradhapura. After winning the war, King Dutugemunu began the development work of the nation reviewing agriculture. He also concentrated on the development of Buddhism in the country. It was the time that he was building the tallest pagoda ever built in the nation, the “Ruvanveliseya”. The King extended invitation to the people to come and help building the pagoda and the people readily responded. It ...

Dec 23, 2022 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , ,
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Kegalle Jubilee Ambalama – commemoration of a Jubilee – By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Located in *Kegalle town of *Sabaragamuwa Province, Kegalle Jubilee *Ambalama is a large building similar to a small house and it is considered as the largest ambalama in Sri Lanka.  Constructed in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), Jubilee Ambalama is an archaeologically protected monument, declared by a government notification on July 22, 2011. Unnoticed and unknown by the majority of travelers on Colombo – Kandy Road, including daily commuters as well as the public who visit Kegalle town daily and situated in the busy metropolis of Kegalle, Jubilee Ambalama showcases marvelous craftsmanship of our ancestors. According to the plaque, (in Sinhala and English Languages) on the front wall of the Ambalama, it had been constructed to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. According to folklore, the Ambalama has also been used ...

Jun 9, 2022 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , ,
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Hanthana Mountain Range – protected nature reserve in Kandy By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Situated 1240 meters above sea level, Hanthana Mountain Range is situated in central Sri Lanka, south-west of the city of Kandy.  The Mountain Range stretches from Kandy City to the town of Galaha situated about 20 kilometers to the south of the City. There are seven peaks in the mountain range. *University of Peradeniya is situated at the foothills of Hanthana Mountain Range, on a 1,080 acre stretch of land. Hanthana Mountain Range is a favorite destination among mountain hikers and nature lovers in Sri Lanka, especially among undergraduates of the University of Peradeniya as well as undergraduates of other national universities in Sri Lanka who choose the location for their annual trip. The foot of the mountain range can be reached from Peradeniya-Galaha Road or Kandy-Udawela Road, the most popular being the Peradeniya-Galaha Road. Hanthana Mountain Range has been ...

Mar 5, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , ,
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Ballast Nedam joins NWSDB to enhance the lives of 17,000 Hemmathagama homes with clean, treated drinking water   17,000 families in Hemmathagama will have access to clean drinking water when work is completed on a new intake and water treatment facility connected to a newly laid out pipeline network. Last week, the first pipe was laid for the water treatment plant by Ballast Nedam International Projects B.V., a construction and development company from the Netherlands with a 140-year history of making life accessible for communities.  In Hemmathagama, a small town near Kegalle in Sri Lanka’s Sabaragamuwa province, families from seven villages still drink untreated, raw water from the river Auphinella. Access to clean drinking water will change their lives, meaning fewer diseases among the residents and less pressure on the area’s already overstretched healthcare system. Ballast Nedam, with mother company Renaissance Construction, will handle the project from the design stage ...

Feb 6, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , , , ,
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Batadombalena Cave – journey into the past By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Verdant vistas of spectacular mountains… Silver streams with crystal clear water…Cascading waterfalls…Huge trees towering into the green gloom of the surrounding…Icy cold streams flowing down the slopes… Tall trees covered with wild creepers creating weird shapes in the thick jungle similar to prehistoric monsters…Pools of water among the rocks home to diverse small fish, crabs and frogs… Biodiversity rich forests with endemic fauna and flora… Situated in close proximity to *Kuruwita about 90 kilometers from Colombo, Batadombalena Cave is the home of the prehistoric *‘Balangoda Man’ (Homo sapiens balangodensis) where        the Caves reveal a significant landmark in human paleontology, the remains of prehistoric man. Situated below the rainforests of *Adam’s Peak, Batadombalena Cave is an archeological treasure trove. The Caves are located behind a gently cascading waterfall, a mesmerizing site. From the summit of the rock, a thin sheet ...

Jan 12, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , , , , ,
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